BoundButNotBroken
by Pastoolio
Summary: [Hiatus] (Rated M just in case) It’s Earthbound, but the apocalypse happens when the chosen four are babies and they grow up during the war. There may be a bit of skipping around and uploads may not be constant just a heads up.
1. Prolouge

A meteor landed on the top of a hill 10 years ago. Inside the burning rock that fell from the sky was a small horned beetle. He arrived with only one cause and one cause alone: to save the boy that was prophesied to defeat the ultimate evil. He flew from the cracked opening and began his trek to locate this sacred child.

As he ventured through the wooded hill, he stumbled upon an alien soldier from the future. It was scanning the area for any traces of this beetle or the child. He could not allow the truculent creature find the boy first so the bug made himself known to the invader.

"Starman Junior, we meet again." He flew from the shadows and landed on the ground, but not tucking his wings in his back.

"I thought I'd find you here, Buzz Buzz. You made a mistake coming back to the past." The alien stood his ground as carefully eyed the insect.

"I cannot let Giygas win this time. You, my friend, are the one who's made the mistake here." He flew into the air again and the alien prepared a fiery attack with his hands.

"PK Fire Beta!" It shouted as a blast of flames were shot directly at Buzz Buzz. In the nick of time, Buzz Buzz summoned a psychic shield and deflected the attack.

Their battle raged on. Buzz Buzz rammed into the Starman with his horn while maintaining his shield. The Starman kept summoning fire in hopes it would burn the bug alive.

"You are foolish, Buzz Buzz. You're risking your life for a boy who can never save this world. He had not saved it ten years prior, and he will not save it now! Give it up! Giygas already has his hold on him!" He broke through Buzz Buzz's shield which caused him to falter in the air.

"No! This boy is much more than what Giygas can take away! He will never fall under his evil influence!" Buzz Buzz struggled to summon his shield once more. The Starman crept slowly towards him.

"Bold words for someone who is about to lose himself at any moment."

And with that, Buzz Buzz brought up his head rammed into the Starman at full force. He struck right into his forehead which cracked on impact. The Starman jerked back and held his bleeding head as Buzz Buzz made a break for it. The Starman was unable to fight any longer and teleported away back to the future. Blood from the impact trickled down from Buzz Buzz's horn some of it dripping in his eyes.

He struggled to keep going. The exhaustion, the blood, the insanity of it all. The Starman was not wrong about Buzz Buzz spiral into madness. Buzz Buzz was lucky to still have his head on his shoulders after the horrors he witnessed in the future. As he flew, he suddenly crashed into the glass window of a house he fell to the ground in pain.

"Who's there?" He heard a man's voice say. Buzz Buzz got up and shook the blood from his eyes. He saw a man with a baseball bat approach the window. He looked paranoid, however his fedora covered his eyes. He looked like a fine gentleman donning a white polo shirt and black pants. Buzz Buzz straightened his wings and flew off the ground.

"Good sir, I come from ten years in the future in search of a special boy... Please tell me, do you know of a boy by the name of Ness?" The man relaxed his hands and brought the bat down.

"My son... What do you want with my son!?" He brought his hands back up and threatened to hit the beetle.

"No no! I'm not one of the cryptids you see outside!" He brought his hands up to his face. "I'm here to warn your son about the future. He, along with three others, is the only one who can prevent the war against Giygas. I beg of you! Bring me to your son!" He hung his head down and cupped his hands together, pleading. The man brought down his weapon and motioned for Buzz Buzz to follow him.

He led the insect in a dark room upstairs. There, a woman was cradling a small child in her arms. She turned to face the light from the opening door. The light hit her face as well as the baby.

"There he is." The man went inside the room and Buzz Buzz followed as the door was then shut. He flew towards the boy, emitting a dim light from his body, like a firefly illuminating the dark room. He wanted to get a good look at the boy.

"This isn't right." He said in disbelief. "He's merely an infant! How can he save the world if he can barely walk!?" Buzz Buzz sounded defeated. He now understood why the world was not saved in the previous 10 years. He landed next to the child and stared in belief.

"We don't mean to interrupt, but who are you exactly?" The woman asked holding her child close and away from the insect. Buzz Buzz flew off the bed faced both of them.

"You may call me Buzz Buzz. I have come from 10 years in the future to warn your son about an upcoming calamity. But alas, he is obviously unable to venture on a marvelous quest to save the world. No... I need to watch over him. Please allow me to aid you with his care. He must be protected at all costs, and I'm afraid you won't be able to keep him secure with all the horrors circling around outside! I can sense neither if you are psionic and cannot prevent his end. So I will ask again: Will you please let me protect and care for this boy?" Buzz Buzz had never felt more serious in his life. He felt like this was his ultimate purpose; keeping this boy alive no matter the cost.

The parents of Ness talked between themselves before giving Buzz Buzz their final decision. They agreed. From now until he grew older, Buzz Buzz would protect him from Giygas' soldiers and from the outside world. He would tell him about, what he called his "Your Sanctuary" locations, and about the sound stone which would record the melodies from those said locations. He kept the boy in hiding until the day he would venture to destroy the ultimate evil.


	2. Misadventure

"They're right outside... Stay put and don't move." 13 years had passed since Buzz Buzz's arrival to the past. The beautiful world he arrived to quickly became a nightmare-scape of alien horror and rampant insanity. He, Ness, and Ness's mother were hiding in the basement of their house in order to avoid whatever was lurking in their front yard. Buzz Buzz took the initiative to scope out the area and make sure it was safe to come out of hiding.

Ness's mother held her son close to her protectively as Buzz Buzz exited the room. She knew all too well that whatever was out there was bound on locating and killing her child and she knew, not just for the greater good of the world but of her well being, she could not let him out of her sight. Ness found it best at times like this to stay silent and not intervene with the supernatural. The last time that happened he almost got his parents killed. He did not want to remember that moment.

His father had been out in the town trying to find supplies. After the apocalypse the city broke down and hardly anyone could sustain themselves. It was soon taken over by the Sharks who made their mark on the small town. No one could leave and no one could enter without getting through them. Interactions among them usually ended with the opposition getting beaten or stabbed to death. No where in Onett was safe because they lurked everywhere.

Buzz Buzz heard a pound on the door as he ventured through the house. All he saw was the dark outside and the family dog, King, sleeping on the floor. He looked out the window and caught sight of Ness's dad lying on the ground with his arm out. There were three stab wounds in his back. Buzz Buzz audibly gasped and hurried back to the basement.

"Come quick! It's your father!" He called out and went back to the door. Ness and his mom followed him. His mom opened the door and screamed at the horrific sight.

"What happened to him!? He can't be dead!" She knelt down beside him and grabbed his hand that was out. She held it to her face and began to weep.

"Is there... any way you can bring him back?" Her voice was quiet, and she sounded defeated.

"I'm afraid not... He's long gone." Buzz Buzz sounded defeated. Ness started feeling guilty for what happened, but the boy stayed silent. He knelt down beside his mother, who was fully in tears, and hugged her gently. In a fit of desperation, she pushed him down to the ground and faced him with anger flaring in her eyes.

"He's dead because of you! Everyone is out to kill us and it all your fault!" For the first time ever, she appeared differently as if she was under the influence of something. Ness was taken aback by her sudden outburst and he felt afraid.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't speak!" She yelled again and Ness covered his mouth with a trembling hand.

"Do not silence him! His father was killed by one of those accursed Sharks, not by an alien! Can't you see you're falling under his influence?" Buzz Buzz flew between Ness and his hysterical mother. Suddenly fire was blasted out of no where hitting both of them. Buzz Buzz avoided the flames just in time. Both Ness and his mom screamed from the pain and fell to the ground. Buzz Buzz summoned a psychic shield and went to aid them.

"Lifeup alpha!" He said silently and healed both of them a fast as possible.

"I finally found you!" Starman Junior appeared from the darkness with flames in his hands. "After all these years, who knew I would find both you and the boy!"

"No no no! Stay away from them!" Buzz Buzz held out his arms as if he could shield both of them with his body but to no avail. The Starman kept coming closer, preparing another fire attack.

Ness sat up and spotted his father's bloodied baseball bat a few feet away from his body. He looked back at the Starman and the worrying insect. He got to his feet slowly then bolted towards it.

"PK Fire Beta!" The Starman summoned his attack and aimed it at the running boy. He was struck by the flames and was pushed back by the soon broken shield. Buzz Buzz PSI was not as strong as it once was 13 years ago. Ness lay stomach down on the ground. His shaking arms made it difficult to get back up. He was scared out of his mind.

"Ness no!" His mother ran toward him in worry. Before the Starman could summon his attack again, Buzz Buzz punctured the extraterrestrial's chest with his horn.

"I have... I have to help him!" Ness tried to reach for his father's weapon, but his mother grabbed him by he arm and began taking her son back inside the house for cover.

"I can't afford to lose you too... Stop struggling and listen to you mother!" Her son resisted and got out of her grasp. He made a break for the lone bat and as soon as it was in his grasp, he came to the aid his insect friend. He ran toward the Starman with the bat above his head. He screamed out as he knocked the alien over the head, halting his next attack. The bat cracked a bit from the impact.

"Ness? What are you doing?" Buzz Buzz asked with urgency rising in his voice.

"Helping you! I can't let you die!" Sadness showed on Ness's face and he held his weapon tighter in both hands.

The both of them relentlessly attacked the Starman. As the battle raged on, Buzz Buzz began to falter. His eyes were glazed over and he couldn't fly straight. His body trembled from the overwork of this battle. His PSI was running out fast.

Suddenly, the Starman summoned fire once again and aimed at Ness. Ness was pushed back by the force due to his lack of a shield and he was then pinned him down to the ground by the Starman's foot. Ness struggled to get up from the force but to no avail.

"Ness!" Buzz Buzz rushed over to Ness, but before he could do anything, the Starman swatted him away. Buzz Buzz fell to the ground.

"Buzz Buzz!" Ness suddenly felt the strength to get up. He lifted the foot off of him and began to strike the Starman on the head. He screamed with each blow. His hits were so hard that the bat had broken into two once the battle was over. Once the Starman was defeated, it faded away. Ness hurried over to Buzz Buzz and picked him up in his hands.

"Buzz Buzz? C-can you hear me?" He gently shook him awake with his finger.

"I... I was weaker than I thought..." Buzz Buzz took a long pause.

"Buzz Buzz, are you... are you gonna die?" Ness cupped his hands and brought his dying friend up to his face.

"Most likely... but before I go, do you remember what I told you about the eight "Your Sanctuary" locations? Get the sound stone I gave you and go to Giant Step. Your journey starts now. You must not delay any longer... I'm afraid we kept you hidden for too long..." He coughed a bit before continuing again. "Please... You are the only one who can save the world now..." He was fading fast.

"No no! I don't think I can! Don't go..." Tears began to form in the corners of his eyes as he held the bug.

"It's for the best... I was beginning to lose myself anyways..." There was a long pause as he tried to hold on a bit longer.

"Goodbye Ness... I know you'll do just fine..." And with that, he was gone. Ness put his body down on the floor and buried him beneath it. He headed towards his house to retrieve the sound stone.

"Ness?" His mother watched him as he began to walk away from the house once he was finished inside.

"I have to leave now." Ness did not look at her.

"Ness!?" Her voice was full of concern and she placed her hands on his shoulders. Ness stopped walking when she did that. He turned to face her.

"I have to leave! The world is in crisis and I'm one of the only people who can save it apparently!" He took her hands off and began to continue walking.

"Will you come back?" He stopped in his tracks again. His eyes were full of fear, and he was silent for a moment.

"I don't know. This may be the last time you'll ever see me." He looked back at her with sad eyes. She ran over to him and embraced him tightly.

"Take care of yourself out there. Don't get yourself killed, alright?" She sounded like she was about to cry. Ness paused again.

"... I won't."

And he was off to the great unknown.


	3. Bombardment

The red sun rose over the horizon slowly as Ness cautiously made his way to town. With a new spark of determination, he trekked on the dirt trail. A crow flew overhead and landed on a tree branch above him. The farther he went more and more crows appeared and watched from the trees. Ness tried to pay no mind to them even though he found their demeanor quite uncanny. He held onto his backpack straps tightly and quickened his pace.

One crow suddenly let out a loud "caw" and they flew into the air. Like planes, they dived toward the boy. Ness turned his head to face the murder as they pointed their beaks and talons at him. He made a run for it, but the crows were faster. They pecked his back and head and grabbed onto him with their sharp claws.

"Let go of me!" He tried to swat them away with his hands. Some crows began to peck at his eyes and Ness grunted in pain. Temporarily blinded, he flailed hitting some of the birds and tried to get away again. Eventually he made it to the town and without a second thought he sprang to the nearest building. The birds banged against the glass door repeatedly until they gave up and flew away. Ness was knelt down out of breath and frightened for what could have happened to him. He kept his gaze on the door for a long time.

"Pst! Hey kid!" Ness jumped and got to his feet when he heard the voice. He turned around and noticed a man hiding behind a counter with a worried expression.

"What are you doing here? And... What happened to you?" He came out from his hiding spot and approached Ness. Ness, never being in contact with anyone outside his neighborhood perimeter, backed away from him abruptly not knowing what he could do to him. After all, he did not know who he could trust here.

"Woah son, I'm not gonna hurt you! I'm here to help." He put his hands up and slowed his pace toward Ness. "Now tell me what happened." His voice was calm and friendly.

"Th-the crows... They just went crazy and... Attacked me." Ness made eye contact with the man, but his gaze wavered. The man noticed various scratches on his arms, legs, and face. Some were bleeding. He beckoned for Ness to follow him.

"Come with me. Let's get you fixed up." Ness followed him to the counter and waited patiently as he went to get something. Observing his surroundings, Ness noticed he was in a drugstore. Various medicines and miscellaneous equipment lined the shelves. He thought to find a new weapon just in case he was ever bombarded by a murder of crows again.

The man came back with some neosporin and bandaids. He helped Ness apply the lacerations until all the wounds were treated and covered. His arms and legs were covered in various spots while his face only had a couple, one on his left cheek and one on the bridge of his nose.

"Thank you, sir." He felt more secure now that he knew this man wasn't going to kill him.

"No need to thank me! I'm here for all who aren't dead yet! Please feel free to stop by if you need anything." He smiled at Ness kindly before returning to some work. Ness investigated his wares for weapon. He scanned to isles until he found a new bat. This time it looked more durable than the old one. He picked it up and brought it to the counter.

"Excuse me sir. Can I have this?" He asked.

The man looked a bit puzzled. "You don't plan on going back out there do you?"

"Yeah I do. That reminds me, can you tell me where Giant Step is?" Ness was oblivious to the man's obvious anxiety.

"Why would you want to go there? The... Y'know... The Sharks are out there. Frank's got that place locked up." His voice became hushed at the last statement.

"What? Who are you talking about?" Ness became worried again.

"You don't know? I guess you're not from around here." He looked around before speaking again.

"The Sharks are a ruthless group that have taken over this town a few years back. They don't allow anyone to leave on their terms—and if you try they kill you! I just saw their boss Frank stab a guy earlier for attempting an escape!" Then something clicked inside Ness and his blood began to boil.

"That was... My dad..." He kept his voice quiet and grabbed the handle of the bat, taking his leave.

"Where are you going?" The man began to chase after him.

"I'm going to get revenge on that Frank guy for killing my dad..." He did not turn and face the man. Instead he opened the door and left.

His anger soon turned to fear when he noticed the conditions of the town. Buildings were falling apart and trash lined the streets as well as bodies some stray dogs were feasting upon. Ness felt sick to his stomach as he passed by dislocated limbs on the sidewalk. Is this what the man meant when he alluded to people being "still alive"?

He suddenly heard wild barking. The dogs noticed him and were heading right in is direction. Ness readied his new bat and got into position to strike. He knocked one dog on the head which sent it flying. The other bit down on his leg. Ness yelped and began to jab the dog repeatedly with the tip of his bat. It eventually let go and ran off. The commotion, however, summoned some unfavorable company. A few people dressed in a strange uniform approached him.

"What're you doin' on our turf? Are ya askin' to get hurt?" They all laughed and balled their hands in fists. Ness stood his ground and held his weapon up.

"Oh we gotta wise guy here, ya? Well, we don't take kindly to guys like ya." They quickened their pace toward Ness. He glared in their direction making sure not to falter. Then a fracas broke out.

They punched and kicked him as he whacked them in various spots. The three of them overpowered him, however. They forced him to the ground and tossed his bat somewhere across the street. Ness shielded his face and curled his body to avoid taking the bulk of pain. Despite the beatings, he felt a force erupt inside of him, and without even realizing it he brought his hands up and yelled: "Hypnosis Alpha!" One of the Sharks fell down on the ground unmoving. He was out cold.

"Let's get outta here!" Noticing what Ness did to their companion, the other two Sharks fled leaving Ness on the ground. He noticed his nose was bleeding and could tell the tussle was going to leave bruises later, but he did not care at this point. Forcing himself off the ground, he made his way toward his discarded weapon, kicking the comatose Shark in the face before leaving the block.

He did not know what he just did or how he did it. All he knew is that this new power would be useful now that he knew what he was up against. He noticed in the corners of his eyes he noticed many people coming out of the shadows watching him with content and hopeful expressions. Ness knew they were not Sharks due to their lack of uniform. He did not want to look at them, however. The setting as a whole upset him greatly and seeing any more turmoil would put him over the edge.

As he made his way down the street, he noticed the number of Sharks were greater than before. They all circulated one specific building, the arcade. Without worrying about what would happen next, he made himself seen as he approached their location. His anger returned with each step he took. The Sharks noticed his arrival and took their stances.

"That's the kid! He's the one with the voodoo powers!" One of them shouted and pointed in Ness's direction and they all charged towards him. Ness, realizing there were too many for him to handle, noticed the arcade was unoccupied. He made a sprint for the entrance, dodging attacks the best he could. As soon as he entered his destination, he shut the glass doors quickly and barricaded them with a broken game machine. He took in deep breaths as all the Sharks piled up against the doors, attempting to break them open.

Ness looked around the room for another exit. He had to get out of here somehow. He located a back door exit and cautiously made his way toward it. Little did he know there was someone back there waiting for him.

Once Ness exited the building he came face to face with a powerful looking man. Ness held up his weapon defensively as the man approached him.

"Who are you, boy? I've never seen ya before." His sudden smile was unsettling.

Ness stayed silent and glared. He took a few steps back.

"The name's Frank." He held out a hand in greeting.

Those few words made Ness's anger grow stronger.

"You! You killed my dad!" Ness immediately hit Frank in the side of his face with his bat. Frank stumbled back a bit and glared at Ness.

"You're askin' for a whole lotta pain, boy." He got out two knives and charged in Ness's direction. Ness tried his best to avoid being punctured by the knives. He kept his body shielded as best he could. He received a few slashes to his arms but he did not care. All he wanted was to kill this monster for taking away his father.

Ness went to bash Frank's head again, but Frank grabbed his bat in time and twisted it out of Ness's grasp. He threw it off to the side and raised his knife up. Ness panicked and raised his hands up.

"Hypnosis Alpha!" He yelled and a light came from his hands. But nothing happened. Ness panicked more and tried again. Nothing still.

Frank's knife was high above his head and his brought it down in Ness's chest. Ness gasped and fell to the ground. His vision started to go black as Frank pulled out his weapon and stabbed him again in the stomach. Ness wanted to scream, but nothing would come out except his own blood which trickled down his chin and onto the ground. Tears began to form in his eyes as he held his bleeding wounds. He closed his eyes as he waited for his release. Frank stood up straight and began to exit the area.

Suddenly, Ness heard a voice in his head and felt a warm sensation throughout his body. His injuries began to heal. All of them, from the punctures to the scratches from the crows, disappeared. He got to his feet and retrieved his bat.

"Hey Frank!" He called back to Frank. He turned around in disbelief. Ness could see the fearful look on his face.

"I'm not finished yet!" Ness brought up his bat and hit Frank to the ground. His healed wounds provided him with new strength which he used to put an end to Frank's life.

"Don't mess with my family ever again! You hear me!? I'm gonna kill you for what you've done!" Ness was hysterical as he bashed Frank's skull in and beat his dying body. After a few minutes of nonstop assault, Frank was no more. His blood was stained on Ness's bat as well as the ground around him. Ness got up shakily and stared at his dead enemy for a bit. He noticed a silver key had fallen out of Frank's pocket. It was the one for Giant Step. He grabbed it and put it in his backpack. He also grabbed Frank's knives and made his way out of the arcade.

He stood his ground and faced the remaining Sharks at the entrance. He held out his bloodied hand with Frank's blades and dropped them on the ground. The Sharks immediately got the message and backed off. No words were said among them and Ness decided to go to Giant Step now that Frank no longer had control.


	4. Spelunking

The locked up shack blocking Giant Step was in deplorable condition. Once Ness entered, the first thing he noticed was the giant hole in the side of the wall. He didn't question it at this point and kept on moving.

The outside showcased the daunting entrance of the cave leading to the sanctuary. The gaping mouth was very dark inside and Ness heard some unsettling sounds echoing from further inside.

"It's now or never..." Ness closed his eyes, counted three, albeit slowly, and sprinted into the ingress. It was cold a bit damp inside. Insects scurried from Ness's feet with each step. He saw figures move in the shadows. Cautiously slowing down, Ness took out his weapon and held it defensively on his shoulder. Eyeing the perimeter for potential danger, he stepped lightly on the ground constantly scanning the area.

He suddenly heard a loud crunch with the next step. He looked down to see a bone (a tibia to be exact) on the ground snapped in half where he had stepped. Upon further inspection he noticed more bones. Different kinds: femurs, clavicles, pelvises, vertebrae, even skulls, some lacking mandibles, which were all infested by the creepy crawlers that seemed to be everywhere. The sight was sickening. Dismantled skeletons lined the ground all over the cave. There had to be over a few dozen of them.

Ness's breath quickened as he hurried to get away from the sight. He was frightened all over again. He closed his eyes and cowered over at the nearest wall.

Catching his breath he observed his surroundings once more and noticed a series of ropes leading up to the top of the slope. This must be the only way up for he didn't see any stairs or a latter. Putting away his weapon, he grasped the rope tightly and began to climb the best he could.

As soon as he made it to the top, he was met face to face with a rat the size of a football. Ness, startled, almost lost his grip when he saw the goliath of a rat. It stared at him silently as its whiskers twitched slightly. Once he got up, Ness took another look at the rodent before making his way toward the next rope.

More rats began to appear in the shadows. Instead of watching like the first one did, they all steadily followed the boy close behind. As soon as they got close enough, they let out ravenous squeaks and jumped on his legs. Ness tried desperately to shake them off as they climbed up his body. Some went inside his shirt and bit down on his unexposed flesh. The bites were long and numerous. The rats held on to his skin with their jaws until they were forced off of him in desperation.

Many of them had already piled up onto the poor boy. Ness grabbed one that was hanging from his arm and tore it off as well as a portion of his skin. He cried out in agony as his arm spurted out blood and he threw the rat to the ground. With each rat torn off and thrown aside, more clumps of flesh came with them. Ness's clothes were stained with his blood, but he tried his best not to falter. Finally making it to the rope, he climbed for his life. He didn't notice the rats were climbing as well and very close behind too. Having had the taste of human blood, they wanted nothing more than to feast upon the child alive.

Once Ness was to the next level he sprinted for a safe area behind some stalagmites. He huddled in the corner so that the rats could not see him.

"I can't do this... I can't do this!" His fists were pressed hard against the wall and his eyes were shut tightly.

He began to think about his mother. How alone she must feel now that her husband, son, and Buzz Buzz were now gone. He began to worry that she was hurt or even killed. His fear grew so fast that it felt as if it was strangling him. A few tears escaped his eyes at the horrible thought.

The pain from the bites began to get worse. Luckily for him, he stopped at the drugstore and got some medical supplies before going to Giant Step. He knew they would come in handy since he still did not know how to conjure that healing ability he used during his scuffle with Frank. He removed his shirt and haphazardly tried to disinfect his wounds before bandaging them up. After all, he did not want to think about where those rats' jaws have been. After It was all said and done, his entire chest, legs, and much of his back were bandaged. The bite on his arm was also fixed up to the best of his ability.

He took in a deep breath to try and calm himself down more before going out and facing the mischief of rats again.

He heard whispering. It was the voice inside of his head again. He held his head with his trembling hands.

"Stop, stop, stop..." He shut his eyes and tried to make it go away. "I don't want you here!"

The rats noticed he made himself seen and scurried over to him. They all screeched and readied their jaws. Ness opened his eyes wide and put out his hands. The voice in his head was screaming now.

"PK Rockin!" He yelled and a blast of psychic energy left his palms. The rats were pushed back as they ripped and bursted in a bloody mess. Some heads rolled to the floor as their bodies were ejected across the perimeter. Some bodies lay tattered as their bones and organs were sprawled out, dislocated from their original hosts. None of them were alive any longer. Ness looked at his hands and his fear erupted inside him once again.

"What have I done!? They're... they're..." The sight made him sick to his stomach.

"Oh god... oh my god..." His weak legs gave way and he fell to his knees. He curled his fingers over his palms once his hands hit the stone ground. Large tears escaped his eyes and fell to the floor. He sobbed for a short while, shutting his eyes tight and holding his head low.

After the water works ceased, he got to his feet and made his way to the third and hopefully final rope. He climbed it slowly. He was still in great pain from the rat bites. That combined with the new traumatic weight on his shoulders helped slow him down to a degree. Then he was finally there. A bright, sparkling light engulfed the exit to Giant Step. A smile spread across his face as he hurried toward it.

Suddenly, some dust fell from the ceiling which was immediately followed by a giant silver ant which stopped Ness in his tracks. It landed on the ground with a loud boom and eyed the damaged boy evilly.

"Welcome to your first Your Sanctuary location." It smiled menacingly "But it's mine now. Take it from me, if you dare!"


	5. Premonition

Ness was petrified with fear as he stood in front of his new foe. He wanted to run and scream, but he could not move no matter how hard he tried. The behemoth raised a hand and brought it down quickly to crush Ness. Thankfully, Ness's senses returned and he dodged the attack the best he could. The force of the attack launched the boy a few feet from his previous spot, however. The titanic ant turned to the boy once again and tried the same thing.

Ness pulled out his bat and hit one of its legs before it could make another move. Instead of the attack landing, a silver forcefield blocked his attempt. It was a shield similar to the one Buzz Buzz could use. Ness was thrown back again and his weapon was cast aside in the darkness. His back and elbows slid across the solid floor as he winced in agony. His elbows were scrapped open and bled down his forearms. He could also feel the bandages on his back were threatening to tear open and allow his wounds to bleed him dry.

If he was unable to use his weapon, then he would have to resort to PSI. He got to his knees and looked at his cut and calloused hands worriedly. The new attack he learned, which held the power of destruction and mass murder, had to be the key to defeating this monster.

He curled his fingers into fists and got to his feet. With a new look of determination, he eyed the ant with a hard gaze. The ant laughed and brought his face down to the boy.

"Are you trying to be threatening? How foolish..." It laughed and opened its large jaws. Ness closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, bringing his hands up. He summoned his attack of death.

"PK Rockin!" A blast of light shot from his hands and engulfed the head of the monstrous ant. Its pained screams echoed through the cave. Ness took advantage of the vulnerability and smashed its legs with his bat. The ant fell to the ground, holding the spot where Ness shot his PSI. Blood gushed from the spot between its fingers. Ness got ready to smash it's head in.

The titanic ant opened its eyes and pushed Ness down with its bloodied hand. Ness grew worried once again and tried to get away, but the ant used its strong pincers to bite down on Ness's leg. It twisted and crushed it trying to pull the helpless child back into the fight. Blood oozed from the wound onto the clamped jaws of the insect. Ness cried out in agony and tried to pull his leg free. The pain was too great for him to struggle any longer.

"PK ROCKIN!" He yelled again, louder this time. The blast hit the other side of the ant's face this time. It let go and screamed again holding its face with both hands. Ness supported himself on the wall and summoned the attack one last time. He was loosing himself fast.

"P-PK Rockin!..." He fell down before the final blast hit the monster in the chest. It collapsed after struggling for a good while. It coughed up large quantities of blood before its head hung low. It was dead.

Ness breathed heavily as his face rested against the cold stone ground. His chest was heavy and tears were streaming down his eyes. The pain he was in was immense and his exhaustion outweighed anything he had done up to this point. He wanted to stay put and leave himself to rot. He wanted to go home.

He propped himself up with his arms and attempted to make his way through the rest of the cave. His eyes were blurry and they stung from the tears. He hobbled over to the cave's next exit. He could only imagine what could be waiting for him on the other side.

Bracing himself on the wall, he peaked into the next room. It was completely empty except for another rope which lead to the exit of the cave. After long last, he made it. He firmly grasped the rope and climbed as best as he could. His broken leg dangled in the air the further he went.

He was soon met with the sweet light shining from the outside. Dusk was fast approaching. Ness shielded his eyes from the light since the He got used to the darkness of the cave. He limped toward the giant footstep in the center of the area. Without much support, he fell to the ground wincing and holding his leg. He dragged himself toward the imprint and pulled out the sound stone from his backpack. He held it lightly in his hands as he heard the serene melody of the sanctuary. He closed his eyes and his body relaxed.

While the melody played, he caught a short glimpse of a Saint Bernard puppy. It barked a few times and dissolved almost as fast as it came. Ness then felt his body begin to mend and put itself back together. His leg was fixed and he stopped bleeding all together. His exhaustion went away as well as all the pain. For the first time in a while, he felt completely tranquil. He enjoyed every minute of it.

Leaving Giant Step was not nearly as hard as arriving. Nothing dared to cross his path. Ness stood up straight and walked smoothly as he made his way to the exit. He felt like he had so much power.

Once he finally made it back to the deadbeat town, he located the hotel and decided to sleep for the night. The rooms inside were filthy. Most of the wallpaper was peeled back revealing dirt and mold lining the walls, many of the beds were infested with bedbugs, and some parts of the floor were also missing. Ness located the bed that was the least filthy and fell asleep almost immediately after his body hit the cushion.

"Ness?... Can you hear me?"

He heard a voice in the inky blackness of his dream.

"My name is Paula. I am a friend you haven't met yet. Please listen to my words."

Her voice was sweet sounding but it also had a hint of distress. She seemed needy.

"Hurry to Twoson. There is a man named Everdred there. Please find him. You're the only one who can help me..."

Ness woke up abruptly on the hard mattress of the disgusting hotel bed. Some ants had camped on his clothes while he was sleeping.

"Ew gross." Ness flicked them off before getting to his feet and leaving. Before leaving, however, he noticed a landline phone still plugged into the wall. He picked up the receiver to make sure it was still working. It was. Without a second thought, he dialed his mother's number quickly. It began to ring.

"Hello? Who is this?" She sounded paranoid. He could hear her voice shake.

"Mom, it's me Ness." His words seemed to calm her down.

"My son! A-are you alright? Are you hurt at all?" Concern was now expressed in her voice.

"No. I'm okay. I just thought I'd call... I love you, mom." He smiled. He was only gone a day, but he greatly missed his mother already.

"I love you too... You're a hero remember that, okay? Goodbye my son." She hung up.

Once Outside, he scanned the area for any potential dangers. He saw nothing out of the ordinary (ordinary for the town at least), but he did see a lonely hamburger lying in some trash on the street. Ness hesitated for a bit before picking it up. It was crusty and part of it had already been bitten into. He had to eat something after all.

As he headed south for Twoson, he caught more glimpses of the citizens watching him from the shadows. Their presence made him feel really sorrowful.

Suddenly, he felt the ground shake. He looked up and saw a giant robot that some Sharks were riding on top of.

"There you are ya lil' bastard! We've been lookin' all over for ya!" One of them called down to him. Ness took a defensive stance and brought out his weapon.

"Since ya killed our boss, we decided to congratulate ya with a slow and painful death. Say goodnight, chump!" The robot backed up a bit before coming at Ness at full speed. Ness, still feeling like he could do anything, dodged quickly and began bashing any surface of the machine he could reach. Surprisingly for him, the robot gave way pretty easily.

The Sharks attempted anything they could to try and stop the boy at any cost. To their disappointment, Ness made quick work of them. After the titanic ant, this was not a problem for Ness at all. After many continuous attacks, the machine broke down and the Sharks ran screaming. The citizens, seeing the broken down robot, came out of the shadows and showed themselves.

"It's... It's finally gone." One said. Ness was facing all of them now. They were dirty and thin, but their once sad eyes held a new spark of hope.

"Son..." A man approached him. "H-how on earth... how on this... God-forsaken earth did you do it? How did you kill him? How did you break his robot? How?... How?..." The man appeared to be weeping.

"I did what I had to — for all of you..." Ness turned his gaze away from them and continued on his way to Twoson.


	6. Sacrificial

Twoson was in noticeably better condition than Onett, except for the vast amount of homeless people and uncanny uniform blue houses lining the streets. The more Ness explored the more he noticed how blue the place was. As if on cue, he passed by some people dressed head to toe in blue robes. Their faces were covered and they eyed him down after he passed by. He made sure not to make eye contact.

He soon came across a sign for Burglin Park. He recalled Paula telling him to meet someone called Everdred there. Could he potentially be her captor? He decided to make his way inside.

Ness observed his surroundings of the park. He noticed the vast amount of people lying on the ground watching him. He also noticed a shack at the very end so he decided to investigate. After all, he needed to find Paula.

"Don't hurt me! Stop!" He heard someone yell. Ness immediately turned his head in the direction of the screaming. He noticed a citizen being assaulted by two people dressed in blue.

"Hey! Leave them alone!" He called to the people. His hands were in fists.

"What are you going to do about it, child?" Both of them turned toward Ness and readied two large paintbrushes they were using to attack their victim.

Ness swatted his bat at one of them and used hypnosis on the other. Without much effort, they collapsed on the ground. The victim had made their escape during the fight. Ness took in a deep breath and continued walking.

The farther he went, he noticed a man sitting in a chair on the front lawn. His foot had a brace on it. Ness approached him carefully for he did not know this man.

"Excuse me, mister. Are you... Everdred?" He got the man's attention. He opened his half closed eyes and looked up at the boy.

"Who's asking?" He had a bit of defensiveness in his voice. Ness hesitated before answering. He grabbed the handle of his bat just in case a fight were to break out.

"Paula told me to look for you."

"Paula?" He perked up when he heard her name. His gaze had softened and he looked somewhat hopeful for something. "Where is she? She's been missing for a long time!"

Ness hesitated again before answering. He knew now he was not her captor, but someone who obviously meant a lot to her. Her dad maybe?

"I don't know... She contacted me telepathically in my sleep."

Everdred relaxed his shoulders and looked downcast. He rested his face in the palm of his hand and let out a sigh.

"Did you know her?" Ness asked. Everdred began to stand up.

"Come with me, boy." He struggled to stand up. Ness helped him walk to the entrance of the shack. He opened the door and flicked on the lights. The interior looked much neater than the outside which surprised Ness. He noticed a shelf with a variety of pictures. Everdred picked one up and showed it to Ness.

"This is Paula. She's like a daughter to me." He said still looking sad.

The picture was of a perky, upbeat girl and Everdred who looked very happy in the setting. She looked precious like a delicate flower.

"So you're not her dad?" Ness asked looking back at him.

"No..." He sat down still holding the picture. He looked at it for a few seconds before speaking again. "She was abandoned by her real parents one day. They left her out on the street and threw stones at her... They called her a witch and left her for the cultists." He looked as if he was going to cry when he said those words.

"Why on earth would they do such a thing?" Ness began to feel angry. That picture provided enough insight on what Paula was like and he knew right off the bat that she did not deserve the abuse.

"You see, Paula is special. She is capable of using psychic abilities, like I saw you use back there on those cultists... I remember them saying something about a psionic user's blood being sacred. As I was saying, she told me her parents said her only purpose was to become a sacrifice to this Blue Religion—" Ness cut Everdred off.

"Wait hold the phone! A sacrifice?.." He held his head.

"I know what you're thinking. It's a lot to take in. Her parents became strong believers of the Blue Religion, and they wanted to sacrifice their daughter in honor of it. I tried my hardest to keep Paula safe from their clutches... But they got the best of me. Without proper medical treatment my foot hasn't healed, so I'm unable to search of her... Please, if you find her bring her back to me. All I need is to know that she's safe and alive." He rubbed his eyes and Ness pat his back.

"Don't worry. I'll do everything in my power to bring her back!" He tightened his hands into fists and made his way to the shack's exit.

"Before you go, you must know that the cultists have made their stay in Happy Happy Village. It's on the other side of Twoson." He pointed in the direction. "If they are actually behind Paula's kidnapping, then she is being kept somewhere there." Everdred was looking at him with determination in his eyes.

Ness nodded in understanding and left the park. He looked in the direction Everdred pointed in and began to run.

"Don't worry Paula. I'm coming for you!"


	7. Thunder

The rain would not cease. It was coming down harder and harder by the minute. Ness had already made his way to Happy Happy Village which was heavily occupied by the blue cultists. He tried his best to not be seen by them or by the creepy citizens who had blank stares and wide ear-to-ear smiles. He held the handle of his bat tightly and skulked around to avoid detection.

"Ness... Ness!"

He was receiving another premonition. This time Paula's voice had a sense of urgency; more so than the last time.

"They know you're here!.. Please hurry... I don't think I have much time left!.." Her voice sounded weaker than before. Worry began to grow in Ness's body and he started to search for any place that appeared to be holding her hostage.

He then noticed a few cultists running. He decided to follow them, hoping they would lead him to the distressed girl. He watched them as they approached two other cultists guarding a shack. This must be the place. He kept himself hidden as he listened to their conversation.

"The boy is here. Some of us were attacked in Twoson. He is indeed a psionic. We cannot let him enter." All four of them stood guard in front. Paula was definitely inside.

Ness braced himself and charged toward them. He smacked one in the face with his bat which sent it flying. The others got into a fighting position and began to hurt him with their paintbrushes.

"Get the psionic! Lock him up and take his blood!" One yelled.

Ness did his best to avoid their blows but to no avail. The three of them seemed like they would overpower him. Lightning dashed across the sky during their battle as well as the unforgiving rain.

"Ness... Please hurry... Before... Before..." Her voice got quieter until it seemed her grip on him was gone.

"Before what!? Speak to me!" He tried to contact her again. She would not answer.

Ness refused to fall to them. What ever they did to her, they would pay greatly. He tried to refrain from using his PSI, but now he had no choice.

"PK Rockin!" He yelled with his hands out. A colorful blast knocked the three of them over. They lay on the ground unconscious. The one knocked out at the beginning, however, was back up. He fled back to Happy Happy Village while Ness was fixated on the door. He turned the knob, but it was locked. He groaned, lifted his foot and kicked the door in. Lighting struck in the sky again which illuminated his face and the room. The quick glimpse of the room he got was horrific. He noticed old blood stains where he was standing. They led to a cell at the opposite side of the room where Paula was lying inside. She wasn't moving.

Ness hurried over toward her and placed his hands on the bars which were oddly warm and charred slightly. Another lightning strike illuminated the room once again and Ness got a good look at her.

Her arms and legs were wrapped in bloody bandages and the skin exposed was covered in cuts, her dress was torn and tattered with dust and blood, and every bone in her body was visible. She looked as if she was not breathing. He could not bear to take his eyes off of her.

"Paula?" He reached a hand through the bars to try and shake her awake. She felt very cold.

"Paula! Wake up!" He shook her more. She twitched and began to wake up. Ness felt relieved and took his hands off of her. She forced herself to her knees and looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"Ness? Is that you?" Her voice was soft and weak. She held onto the cell bars to held keep her upright.

"Yes! I made it!" Ness smiled at the fact she was still alive. He put his hands on the bars again.

"How long have you been here?" He eyed the cell and noticed the drab condition it was in.

"I... I don't know. A very, very long time though." She looked down at the floor sadly. Ness felt sympathy for her and lifted her head back up.

"H-hey! It's okay. I'm gonna get you out of here." He smiled at her. He let go of her face and went to investigate the lock on the cell. There was no way he would be able to break it.

"Carpainter has the key. If you're going to go face him, you'll need this." She stood up with the help of the cell bars and handed a badge to Ness.

"This is the Franklyn Badge. Carpainter has the ability to use lighting so this badge will help protect you." She smiled at him lightly. He took it from her and put it on the strap of his backpack.

Suddenly, a group of five cultists entered the room. Two of them grabbed Ness and covered his mouth. The others unlocked Paula's cell and dragged her out. She was shouting for them to stop, but they ignored her. Ness broke free for a moment and tried to get to the girl.

"Don't hurt her! She's gone through enough!" They held him down and covered his mouth again.

They brought him up and followed the other three with Paula. Ness struggled on their grip but was unable to break free again. They were brought to the center of Happy Happy Village where a crowd of cultists were standing. The group with Paula made their way to the center of the crowd and threw her down onto the ground. One of them held her down with their foot while a man, who was not dressed like a cultist but still very blue, approached.

"Members of the Blue Religion," He began. "The day we feared has come. The girl who has generously given herself up to the greater good of us is about to meet her demise. She shall finally be made the perfect sacrifice after all this time." He held up a dagger and the crowd started muttering to themselves.

"I know what you're thinking, how will we keep sustaining ourselves without her. Well I have good news!" He motioned for the two cultists with Ness to step forward.

"We have found another. His power, from what I've been told, is impeccable! He will sustain us for a long time!" The crowd cheered. Ness began to panic and try to break free.

"Now. It is time for the girl to say goodbye." He gave the dagger to the cultist holding her down. He unbuttoned he back of her dress, exposing her back. He brought the blade up and sliced her back swiftly. She let out a yelp of pain and curled up.

Another swift cut. She yelled again and began to shake violently. The her sickly blood was coming out quickly and in large quantities. The crowd around her started chanting "blue, blue" over and over again. Ness was now fighting to be released from the cultists' grip.

Finally, a third cut. With that final swipe, Paula fell back to the ground crying in agony. Tears fell from her eyes as she hugged herself. Ness finally broke free and rushed towards the crying girl. He punched the cultist in the face and stood over Paula's dying body.

"What!?" The man stormed toward Ness with anger flaring in his eyes.

"Get away from her!" Ness stood his ground and glared at the man. He kept coming closer and lifted his hand.

"PK Thunder Beta!" He yelled and shot a bolt of lightning in Ness's direction. The blast was attracted to his Franklyn Badge and it was deflected off of it. It shot back and hit the man. He stumbled back in pain and looked back at Ness. Ness realized this was Carpainter.

"You'll pay for that, boy!" He approached Ness again but this time at a quicker pace. Ness felt all his rage build up and he released it in the form of an attack.

"PK Rockin!" He yelled. The psychic attack fired throughout the crowd. Everyone including Carpainter was pushed back by the powerful blast. Ness breathed heavily and felt his energy drain from the psychic use. It was never this powerful before. People began to get up and run for the hills while others still lay on the ground. Ness looked down at Paula and picked her up. She needed treatment fast. Carpainter got up and coughed.

"How could you? She must die for us to be sustained!" He started to come closer once again. Ness ran away this time and did not look back. He tried to make it out of the village but some cultists blocked the exits. He hurried to find another way out.

"Hey kid! Over here!" He heard a hushed voice call to him. He saw a man inside of a house with a worried expression. "They won't find you in here." Ness went over to him quickly. He could tell this person was legit. As soon as he entered the house he knelt down to catch his breath with Paula still in his arms.

"I can't believe you stood up to them like that!" The man looked bewildered.

"Why aren't you one of them?" Ness asked him looking up.

"I could see right through their facade. The blood of an innocent child cannot make someone eternally happy." He looked down at Paula. "We better get her fixed up before she's a goner."

Ness had helped bandage Paula's back. She was kept in the stranger's bed until she was to awaken. Ness sat by her side and looked at her continuously. Her paleness from blood loss combines with her malnourished state made her look like a corpse. He held onto her hand and watched her chest fall and rise rhythmically with each breath. He realized this cult had taken away her innocence. She was not the girl he saw in that picture but the mere shell of her. That cheerfulness was gone and it was replaced by fear. Fear was the only thing she displayed now.

"Please wake up... Please." He so worried she would die and throughout the night he watched her hoping she would wake up soon. He listened to the patter of rain on the glass window and the thunder that would occasionally sound once in a while. It reminded him of Carpainter.

Morning arrived soon. Ness dozed off sitting up as the sun rose over the horizon. His hand was no longer intertwined with hers. Paula's eyes twitched open and the first thing she saw was Ness asleep at her feet. His head lay on the bed while he knelt down beside it. She wanted to sit up, but the pain in her back was too great; she was not strong enough. She whimpered quietly when she tried and her breathing got heavy. She could not believe she was still alive. And it was all thanks to him. She looked back at Ness with gratitude. Ness then jumped awake suddenly.

"Paula!?" His eyes were wide and he looked around.

"Right here." He looked at her relived.

"You're awake." He smiled and got off the bed. He made his way over to her.

"I was told to change your bandages when you woke up. I-if you don't mind me doing so."

"I don't mind. I just wish I could get up on my own." She did not look at him when she spoke.

"Oh! Let me help you." Ness carefully grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up cautiously as to not hurt her. She winched as she was lifted.

"Am I hurting you too much?" He paused concerned.

"No... It's okay. I'm going to hurt no matter what." She looked down. She was ashamed of how helpless she was.

He put her back to him and began to unbutton the top of her dress.

"I'm, uh, gonna have to remove your top—"

"It's fine." She took her arms out of her sleeves and put her hands on her shoulders, using her elbows to cover her flat chest. Ness blushed slightly but continued to undo her bandages. He carefully cleaned the gashes on her back and proceeded to cover them up. His eyes were mostly fixated on her physique. He could vividly see her spine and ribs which made him feel even more sorry for her. Once he was finished he placed his hands on her back for a moment. He wished he could remember how he healed himself during his battle with Frank. What was the command? Life... Life something? He concentrated his energy to try and bring the command to light. Then it just came to him.

"Lifeup Alpha..." The voice in his head said then he saw the scratches on her arms go away. Paula felt the warm sensation throughout her body and relaxed. Ness undid the bandages and saw that the gashes were gone. He smiled widely.

"I did it... I did it!" He looked at his hands happily and laughed a bit.

"What did you do?" Paula's voice sounded like it had some of it's strength back. Ness looked at her and hugged her tightly. She flinched at the gesture.

"I healed you! I-I got rid of your injuries! You shouldn't be in pain anymore!" He laughed out of joy again.

"You're right... I'm not in pain anymore!" She smiled wide as well and began to feel less helpless. They both stayed in the tight embrace laughing joyously. Ness would not let go for a awhile.

"Can I... put my top back on?" She asked after a bit. Ness remembered she was still topless and let go a bit embarrassed.

Paula quickly buttoned her dress back up and turned around with a smile. Ness smile slowly disappeared.

"Can just ask..." His tone became more serious and his voice halted for a moment. "What exactly happened to you?"


	8. Flashback

Paula's positive expression turned to one of dread just by the simple question. She tightly held onto her arms and brought her shoulders up defensively. Her gaze was pinned on the corner of the wall away from Ness.

"I would rather not say..." Her voice became hushed as if someone was listening.

Ness wanted to embrace her once again but decided against it. No words could describe the remorse he felt for her wellbeing.

"Could you at least tell me how you were taken? I-if Everdred had you hidden then how did they find you?" Ness wanted to try to at least get something out of her. She sighed before looking back at him.

"I was stalked... One day they just... Decided to strike. About three cultists and Carpainter's right hand came and took me away. They hurt Everdred... They hurt me..." She closed her eyes tightly for a moment. "I-I think they called the boy Pokey or something..." The name Pokey immediately awakened a memory inside of Ness.

"Wait? Pokey? I-I know him! He used to live next to me." A repressed memory resurfaced inside of Ness's mind. It was one of the only interactions he ever had with that kid.

————————

The memory incapsulated a time when his father had not returned for a long time. His mother was worried sick that he was dead, and the word got around to their snobbish neighbors, the Minch family. Ness was only 10 years old at the time; the thought of his father dying scared him greatly.

"I heard what happened to your dad. Doesn't it suck to be you?" Pokey Minch, Ness's sad excuse for a former friend, said with a snicker. He appeared to be amused by the situation.

Ness looked at him in disbelief with horror in his eyes. "Pl-please don't joke about it—"

"Oh I'm sorry! I don't talk to kids who are without dads! And from the looks of it, you don't have one anymore!" Pokey laughed at his own words maniacally.

"Stop!" Ness practically begged for the boy to stop. Pokey could care less about what his neighbor wanted and kept on laughing.

Ness's eyes widened and his expression started to become one of anger.

"I told you to knock it off!" He backed up a few steps away from Pokey.

"Oh, what's that? You can't tell me what to do because..." Pokey inched closer to to him. "You. Don't. Have. A. Father. Anymore." His smile was wide and held malicious intent.

Ness's anger had taken over. He took a defensive stance and pulled a bat from inside his backpack. He raised his weapon high and then repeatedly began to beat the life out of Pokey. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth onto the grass with each blow.

"Wait! No! Get away from—" He was cut off by a wack to the jaw. Pokey was on the ground sobbing while Ness stood over him and whacked his head in. His bat became bloodied as it bashed Pokey's body leaving him with several bruises and bloody indents. Ness felt no remorse for the actions he was committing.

"Ness! What are you doing to my son!?" An angry voice filled his eardrums. Ness's eyes widened with realization as he turned around to see the fuming face of Mr. Minch, Pokey's father. He was aggressively making his way over to the now scared boy.

"What the hell are you doing, boy?" He yanked the bat and threw it away from him. He then grabbed Ness by the collar of his shirt. Ness was so frightened that he began to let tears roll down his face. The guilt was starting to settle inside of him.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Don't hurt me please!" He said in between breaths. He held onto the arm of the angry man in hopes he would be let go. Mr. Minch only glared at him and threw him to the hard ground.

"Don't ever come near my family again! You hear me, boy!?" He spat every word. Ness curled his body and covered his face out of fear of what would happen to him. He felt the shape of Mr. Minch loom over his body.

"Your mother was right... You are much better when you don't talk."

Ness did not look, but he heard Mr. Minch walk away. Once he did look, he saw that he, as well as Pokey, was gone. He sat there, blood on his hands, and began to cry silently.

————————

The memory angered Ness greatly. He hated that family with every fiber of his being. Now that they were involved with the kidnapping and torture of Paula, he could not let their demeanor reign on.

"... What did he do to you?" Ness asked almost immediately his flashback ceased. Paula opened her eyes and look at the boy with an expression almost resembling that of horror.

"I don't want to say—"

"Tell me! I need to know!" Ness's gaze was furious. Paula covered her eyes and defensively raised her shoulders once again.

"He chained me up in that horrible place! He was the first to cut me open and spill my blood for all to indulge!... He hit me and told me I was a witch!... He... he touched me... inauspiciously..." She began to sob as she brought her knees up to her face.

Ness got to his feet. His hands were clenched in fists as he made his way toward the door. His posture was tense and his shoulders were slightly raised. Paula peaked up from her scrunched position when she heard his footsteps.

"Where are you going?" She asked with worry growing in her gut.

"I'm going to kill Carpainter for what he made those despicable cultists do to you. And maybe run into Pokey so I can give him a piece of my mind..." Ness looked down at the ground. Rage had settled inside of him. It was hard for him to turn back from this decision.

"Let me come with you." She receded from her position and sat up as straight as she could. "I have a greater vendetta against him than you. That said, I would gladly partake in his demise." Tears were still present in the corners of her eyes as she spoke, however her tone was not helpless anymore. She was serious about her request. Ness turned around to face her with his burning eyes.

"No! You are in no condition to fight. You're defenseless against him." Ness snapped at her with power growing in his voice. He could not control himself.

"No I'm not! I can fight just as good as you!" Her voice rose a significant amount. She raised her body off the bed. Her legs shook violently as she tried to steady herself on the floor.

"Just look at yourself! You cant even stand up! How are you supposed to kill a man, a leader of a cult might I add, when you're weak like this?" He made no effort to help steady her. He only stood there and watched her struggle.

She tried keep her balance before she fell to her knees. Her head hung low and her hands covered her eyes.

"I'm not helpless... I'm not..." She could not face the facts. She was helpless toward anything in this condition. She refused to accept the facts.

Ness relaxed his posture and knelt down beside her. He felt sorrowful and he held regret for his words. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She jerked away and snapped her head up at the sudden touch. Her eyes were full of fright and uneasiness. Ness pulled his hand away from her. He looked at her sadly as they both stared at each other in their eyes.

"Paula, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to say those things. Th-they're not true..." He broke away from her gaze. His eyes fell to the floor. "I just don't want to lose you... Without you, th-the world will fall into more chaos. I-if you died, I wouldn't be able to do this alone..." He felt like sobbing but restrained himself from doing so in front of her. Paula relaxed her gaze and brought his eyes to hers.

"That wasn't you talking back there, was it?" Her tone was serious as well as her expression. "You're being corrupted. You don't have much time left." Ness understood this. Buzz Buzz would tell him he would fall into Giygas' influence if he did not save the world in time. "You should go to Carpainter now. I understand I won't be much help to you right now..."

Ness got to his feet and helped Paula up onto the bed before taking his leave. Before completely exiting the room, he paused and looked back at her.

"Paula... I don't want to hurt you again... So do me this one favor... Please don't get too close with me. If anything happens to me I don't want you to worry about me..."

"I would be upset whether or not we were close... I understand why you would think that, but I want to be close with you even if I can't help your corruption. We're in this together. I can't leave you alone like that." Paula looked saddened by his request. She cared deeply about him and his well being. After all, he went out of his way to save her life.

Ness was taken aback by her response. He did not expect her to be so apologetic after his outburst. He never knew what it felt like for someone to genuinely care about him. Buzz Buzz did because Ness was the chosen one, and his parents did because it was mostly their moral obligation to even though his dad was not home a lot and his mom blamed him for their constant danger. He smiled at her words and shut the door behind him.

"Thank you." He said quietly to himself before he trudged on to Carpainter.


End file.
